An Encyclopedia of Early Civil War Virginia
The Chesapeake Bay, a defining feature of Virginia's maritime border, stretches approximately 200 miles south from the mouth of the Susquehanna River in Maryland to Cape Henry and Cape Charles, Virginia. It is the largest estuary in the United States, providing an important avenue for domestic and international trade and commercial fishing. The 170-mile long…
In the early days of the Civil War, as Virginia seceded and Confederate forces rushed to secure key positions across the state, Jamestown Island—better known as the birthplace of English America—was drawn into the conflict. Between April and July 1861, the Confederacy quickly turned Jamestown Island’s strategic position on the James River into a forward…
Continue reading ➞ Fort Pocahontas: Jamestown Island’s Forgotten Confederate Stronghold
Dr. Lucas Wilder is an adjunct professor at Lincoln Memorial University in Tennessee, and he runs one of the best Civil War channels on YouTube: History Gone Wilder. One highlight is his animated maps. What they lack in graphic design, they make up for in attention to detail. He posted the following video on the…
Continue reading ➞ History Gone Wilder: The Battle of Big Bethel
The Action at Carter’s Creek was fought on Monday, June 24, 1861 between Union forces commanded by Lt. Daniel L. Braine and Confederate forces commanded by Capt. Isaac Currell in present-day Lancaster County on Virginia's Northern Neck. The brief exchange of fire resulted in a Confederate victory when the Union landing party was driven off…
Continue reading ➞ Action at Carter’s Creek – Location Revealed
Based on a careful analysis, it’s reasonable to conclude that the Union force had approximately 4,518 men on the field that day. The Battle of Big Bethel, June 10, 1861, on the Virginia Peninsula was unequivocally the first pitched battle of any magnitude in the American Civil War. Approximately 6,000 Union and Confederate soldiers participated,…
Based on a careful analysis, it’s reasonable to conclude that the Confederates had approximately 1,670 men on the field that day. Though some minor skirmishes occurred in Virginia prior to June 10, 1861, the Battle of Big Bethel on the Virginia Peninsula was unequivocally the first pitched battle of any magnitude. Approximately 6,000 Union and…
The Battle of Big Bethel (or Great Bethel) was fought on Monday, June 10, 1861 between Union forces commanded by Brig. Gen. Ebenezer Peirce and Confederate forces commanded by Col. John B. Magruder and Col. Daniel Harvey Hill in what is today Hampton, Virginia. It was among the American Civil War’s first pitched battles. Until…
Continue reading ➞ Topographical Sketch of the Battle of Bethel, June 10th 1861
Before the Battle of Big Bethel, a pair of small skirmishes played a key role in shaping Union strategy and setting the stage for their defeat. Learn how these early encounters influenced the course of the larger conflict on the Virginia Peninsula. After the Virginia Secession Convention passed its ordinance of secession in May 1861,…
Continue reading ➞ Minor Skirmishes, Major Impact: the Prelude to Big Bethel at New Market Bridge
In the early months of the Civil War, a Union naval mission to gather intelligence on Virginia’s Northern Neck turned into a deadly skirmish with Confederate volunteers. Discover how a routine operation aboard the USS Monticello quickly escalated into a fierce clash that left both sides scrambling. On April 27, in response to the capture…
Continue reading ➞ The Action at Carter’s Creek, or Affair on the Rappahannock
Since shifting focus to the long-neglected Chesapeake region, I came across two additional skirmishes, bringing the total to eight. Both were relatively minor but still deserve to be added to our encyclopedia. They are, as follows: Action at Carter's Creek On June 24, 1861, the USS Monticello was patrolling the Virginia shoreline in the Chesapeake…
Continue reading ➞ Two New Skirmishes on the Chesapeake Front
Spirit of '61 